Song of the Day: Summer Babes – Crack Habit

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Each and every Friday we deliver songs by local artists. Today’s selection, featured on the Morning Show with John Richards, is “Crack Habit” by Summer Babes from their 2010 self-released EP Babe Summer.

When rain starts to come sideways in the Northwest, a band like Seattle’s Summer Babes seem appropriately timely. Named after a great Pavement song of the same name, their chilled-out pop songs aren’t exactly programmed to be beach fare; however, with some of the surf guitar sounds and harmonies on this album you could just as easily dream of sunnier locales while listening. Our featured song “Crack Habit” is the fuzzed out opening single on their self-released EP Babe Summer and one of the grittier, fantastically garage-sounding songs on the EP. It also helps set the tone for the entire EP, which appropriately ends with a great rendition of the Unnatural Helpers’ “Sunshine/Pretty Girls.” The five-piece is led by Jeff Albertson (The Lights) on vocals, with a great harmonizing group of musicians including Ryan Creason, Jessica Parsons, Henry Rose, Matt Stegner.

If you want to get an early glimpse, Summer Babes is scheduled to play at the Sunset Tavern in Seattle this Saturday, November 20, with The Redwood Plan and Mr. Gnome. In the meantime, you can find tour dates and other information about the band on their website and connect with the band on Twitter. You can also download/stream their entire EP on Bandcamp.